Flexible metallic tubing.



N0. 680,983. l Patented Allg. 20,'l90l. C. RUDOLPH.

FLEXIBLE METALLIC` TUB-ING.

(Application ledMar. 12, 1900.)

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j UNITED STATES' PATENT FFICE.

j CHARLES RUDOLPH, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES TQSCHOEN,

OF' PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND JAMES B. BRADY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

`FLEXIBLE METALLIC TUBING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,983, dated August 20, 1901. Application filed March l2, 1900. Serial NO- 31357- (NO DlOflGL) To all whom t may Concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES RUDOLPH, manufacturer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented a certain new and usefullmprovement in Flexible Metallic Tubing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exuct description.

` My invention relates to that kind of tieni` ble tubes formed of suitably-shaped metallic bands wound spirally in such a way that the edges of adjacent'turns or coils engage one with another.

The object of the invention is to provide means for reinforcing the outer sides of the profiles at present employed, so as to give more strength, durability, and tightness to this kind of tubing, while preserving for it a great iiexibility.

The invention will be described first with reference to the accompanying drawings, and

` then the part, improvement, or combination present invention.

which I claim as myinvention willbe particularly pointed outwand distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of "which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure l is a view in perspective and partly in section of a part of a tube formed by spi rally winding a corrugated band or strip in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 isa section, on a larger scale, of a shape (proile) at present employed which is notprovided with theimprovement of my invention. Fig. 3 is a section of a shape (profile) which forms the subject of my Patent No. 653,l87, dated `July l0, 1900. Fig. 4 is a section of the shape (profile) forming the subject of the Fig. 5 is a View in perspective and partly in section of a strip or blank from which is preparedm'y corrugated and strengthened band. Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustratingone method of strengthening the edges of the strip or band.` Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating another method of strengtheningthe edges of the strip or band.

It is known, as will be seen by reference, for example, to English Patent No. 9,478, of August 8, 1885, that iexible tubes may be made by winding in a spiral manner a corru- `bent in any direction.

gated strip or band the corrugations of which or the cross-section or profile of which resembles the letter S, as may be seen by reference to Fig. 2 of the present drawings, this shape or profile forming two juxtaposed channels having one common side a and the mouths of the channels being turned in opposite directions. In winding the corrugated strip or band in a helix its outer edges b and c enter the adjacent channels of the adjoining turns or coils of the band, and as there is play in this'system of engagement the tube may be lengthened or shortened or even be In order to insure the tightness of these pipes, a cord or packing f of india-rubber or other suitable material is inserted between the sides of the bands which engage one with the other, as illustrated in Figs. l', 3, and 4. Tubes or pipes of this character are intended for containing gas and liquids of all kinds, and it has been noticed that most of these fluids, even water, oxidize somewhat rapidly the outer edge c, which in winding the corrugated band lies in the interior of the tube, and that this edge being partially destroyed by rust'the pipe or tube would rapidly become useless. One form of construction designed to remedy this oxidatiomand consequently the wearing away of the internal edge c, forms the subject `of my patent hereinbefore mentioned and is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the present drawings. As seen by reference to Fig. 3, (the interior of the tube being indicated by the arrow,) the edge c is protected by a strip c, bent back on itself and beveled oft on the external face of the side c. In consequence with this arrangement the water or any other substance which attacks the metal and which is contained in the interior of the tube will first oXid'ize and wear away the bent-back part c', which at the same time will rub against the side of the center a, and the part c' will be worn first. On the outside of the tube, where there is no reason to fear the rustin g of the extreme edge b, the bent-back part b is made against the internal face of the edge b, and thus the said part b' serves to strengthen the tube against pressure exerted from within the tube.

As already indicated, the present invention consists in the means for strengthening the outeredges ofY tubes 'of this character,-andf in carrying out my invention the'e'xtremer strengthened edges are not formed, as in the patent mentioned, by bending back the outer edges of the bands; but the strengthened edges are obtained by forming them in onet piece with the Vbody of the strip. Asvillus! trated in Fig. 4, the extreme edges m and n have a thickness greater than that of the body of the corrugated band which forms the tube.V As a result of this construction the edge n thus strengthened affords greater resistance* against the attacks of rust, and the edge maf fords increased strength in the pipe for the resistance of pressure within'the pipe. The advantage of this construction relatively to that shown -in Fig.3 is lthat the edges thus strengthened form an integral and homogene-I ouspartof thestrip, and thus remove theeX-i istence 'of spaces between the component: parts of-the edges of the strips, such-as shown between ythe parts c and c' of Fig. 3,-Whichf afford lodgment for the gas or 'fluids intro-1 duced .into `the pip'es, and whichlodgment in-j creases a tendency to oxidation and c'onse`A qu'entu'eakness and destruction. I

Anotheradvantage accruing fromftheprolvision of integral strengthened edges,such as I the outer edgesm,islthat the packingf is not;

subjected Lto the `pinching or tearing actioni found to result in the use ofzsuch a construe-l tion `asis illustrated in FFig. 3.

"-Ilhese and otheradvantages resulting from m-'y present improvement Will be more readily'. understood in'view oflthe following explana-Jx tion of the manner in which I provide the:

strips with integralstrengthened edges.

O'ne construction'which may be-employed; for carrying out lt-he present inventionconsistsofa liat'metal band or blank of greater thickness throughout than the finished arti-f' ele and Iwhich 4maybe profiled for forming; the strip from which the tube is'to 'bemade This `at band or 'blank is shown in Fig. 5. Thisband or blank is laminated betweenirollers-of a rolling-mill, so as to give it the shape: shown Vin SFig. 6, and as represented in Fig. 6 the band is rolled relatively thin in the middle, twhile its extreme ends or edges mand at.

are thick. This band is then corrugated so a'slto Vproduce arprofile such as shown in Fig. 1 4. Another construction consists in the use ofa metal strip or blank of the thickness ofi the finishe'd band, and its ends are bent, as

ato-and p, togive the height corresponding the usual -way-or preferablyby soldering or brazing themby electric process. The band thus prepared is corrugated as in the'other instances.

Itwill be understood that Ido not limit the application of my improvement to the particular shape erprole indicated in Fig. et,

but expressly reserve theright to useany desired kind of proiile, and particularly that shown in the Patent No. 605,587, dated June.

14E, 1898,`and granted to me and Georges Levavasseur.

I may make the extreme strengthened edges of a thickness twiceasigreat asthat'of. ythe body ofthe band,and when these strength- -ened edges are obtained by-l'aminating it is obvious that I can make them `more or-l'ess thick, according tothe uses'to Which'the tube is to be put.

` What I claim is 1. .A rolledimetal strip, foruse informing Viiexiblertubes by spirallywinding said strip, provided with. integral, homogeneous, thickened flanges, substantially as described'.

2. A flexible tube, comprising a'vmetalistrip the edges of which are integrally'rand homo- :geneously thickened to form flanges, said flanges interlocking with interlposed packing, substantially.as'described.

reinforced 3. In a flexible metallic tube formed by vwinding-in a spiral manner a corrugated (pro- Ailed')metallic band, the combination withth'e Acorrugated 4metallic band of outer edges havzing greater thickness than the body.of the band, substantially as described.

4. 'Ina flexible metallic tube formed by Winding in a spiral manner a corrugated meftalli'e band, a laminated band for forming'the ysaid tube having its outeredges of `greater thickness than the body of theband, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed QIIARLES RUDOLPH.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTE ToURNoL, VICTOR DE MoRENDowsKL IOO 

